RTW shows Snyder at his worst

Rick Snyder

Gov. Rick Snyder often said he was in no hurry to push right-to-work legislation because it was divisive. He cited the troubles Wisconsin endured when Gov. Scott Walker led an effort to eliminate most of state employees' collective bargaining rights.

Snyder won respect - albeit grudgingly - from Democrats and unions for sparing Michigan the labor unrest right-to-work laws would provoke. That changed Tuesday when the governor signed right-to-work bills for all private and public employees with the deliberate exception of police and firefighters.

"This is a major day in Michigan's history," Snyder said after signing the legislation into law.

There's no disputing that fact. With thousands of protesters demanding that Snyder veto the RTW legislation, his approval of the bills guarantees the division Wisconsin endured will engulf Michigan.

There is little room for compromise between RTW proponents and foes. The new law means employees no longer have to pay dues to a union that represents their workplace. Advocates call it a new day for workers. Unions consider it an attack on their power.

In the weeks and months to come, the disagreement likely will be played out in more protests, efforts to overturn the RTW laws through the courts, repeal referendums and recall efforts against Snyder and lawmakers who voted for them.

Snyder defended RTW as a step forward. Michigan now can compete for new businesses against Indiana, an RTW state. Although the governor shared anecdotal information about how Indiana was besting our state because of its RTW policies, there were no facts and figures to examine.

Despite the governor's RTW defense, there is reason to suspect Snyder's support was far more political than economic.

Forces in his party wanted RTW. When the labor unions unsuccessfully pushed Proposal 2, the November ballot proposal to make collective bargaining part of the state Constitution, RTW advocates seized their chance in a lame-duck session of the Legislature to make it law.

Whatever cooperation Snyder enjoyed with the Democrats has disappeared for the short term at least - and Democrats and Republicans are likely to consider him a weak leader who caved into a legislative push with uncertain benefits.

RTW is part of Snyder's legacy - one he could regret.

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RTW shows Snyder at his worst

Gov. Rick Snyder often said he was in no hurry to push right-to-work legislation because it was divisive. He cited the troubles Wisconsin endured when Gov. Scott Walker led an effort to eliminate